CA2019968A1 - Aspheric elliptical paraboloid safety mirror - Google Patents
Aspheric elliptical paraboloid safety mirrorInfo
- Publication number
- CA2019968A1 CA2019968A1 CA002019968A CA2019968A CA2019968A1 CA 2019968 A1 CA2019968 A1 CA 2019968A1 CA 002019968 A CA002019968 A CA 002019968A CA 2019968 A CA2019968 A CA 2019968A CA 2019968 A1 CA2019968 A1 CA 2019968A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- mirror
- mirror surface
- bus
- vehicle
- safety
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R1/00—Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
- B60R1/002—Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R1/00—Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
- B60R1/02—Rear-view mirror arrangements
- B60R1/08—Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots, e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors
- B60R1/081—Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots, e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors
- B60R1/082—Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots, e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B5/00—Optical elements other than lenses
- G02B5/08—Mirrors
- G02B5/10—Mirrors with curved faces
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A safety mirror mountable adjacent the perimeter of a vehicle is provided for affording vehicle drivers the ability to observe from the driving position an area extending outwardly from at least one location inboard of the portion of the perimeter of the vehicle visible from the location of the mirror. The mirror has a convex aspheric elliptic paraboloid image reflecting mirror surface. The curvature of said mirror surface decreases from a point of maximum curvature spaced from a point of minimum curvature at the peripheral edge of the mirror. A plurality of such safety mirrors may be used as at the front corners of a school bus to afford the driver a view of an area contiguous to the sides of the vehicle and in front of the vehicle, as well as beneath the front of the vehicle ahead of the front wheels thereof.
A safety mirror mountable adjacent the perimeter of a vehicle is provided for affording vehicle drivers the ability to observe from the driving position an area extending outwardly from at least one location inboard of the portion of the perimeter of the vehicle visible from the location of the mirror. The mirror has a convex aspheric elliptic paraboloid image reflecting mirror surface. The curvature of said mirror surface decreases from a point of maximum curvature spaced from a point of minimum curvature at the peripheral edge of the mirror. A plurality of such safety mirrors may be used as at the front corners of a school bus to afford the driver a view of an area contiguous to the sides of the vehicle and in front of the vehicle, as well as beneath the front of the vehicle ahead of the front wheels thereof.
Description
2 ~
ASPlIl~lRIC l~LLIYIICAL PAI~ABOLOID SA~l~TY MIRROR
The present invention relates to rnirrors, and in particular to safety mirrors for use on vehicles such as school buses or the like, each providing the driver of the vehicle with a view along a respective side and across the front of the vehicle including the area under the vehicle and ahead of the front wheels thereof.
Background of the lhvelltisn Various mirrors have been proposed and used in connection with vehicles to afford the operator thereof with a view of objects, either animate or inanimate, moving or stationary, in the vicinity of the sides and in front OI the vehicle, and lû also to the rear of the vehicle to permit the operator to have surveillance of those areas so as to see not only stationary objects, but also moving objects such as other vehicles, pedestrians, animals or the like traveling courses which could lead to colllslon with thc vehicle If not avoided. Such mlrror~ have been Oe the flat sur~nce mirror, cyllndricQI sur~c~ ~irror alld qphorlcal sureace mlrror type~. The mo~t common flat sureace mirrors ~or vehicles are the rear vlew mlrrors usually Inolmted near the top center of the windshield, also outboard of the side windows near the front of the vehicle and in the case of school buses also mounted on the front fenders thereof. At times such conventional flat mirrors are replaced by convex cylindrical or spherical mirrors to provide a wider angle of view. Also, at times 20 plural mirror assemblies o~ flat and convex mirrors are used, usually as outside mirrors to provide the undistorted flat mirror view along with the wider angle of view o~ the convex mirror.
One area where mirrors h~ve been relied upon for safety purposes is in conjunction with school buses where safety problems are accentuated by the fact that the passengers for the most part are children, who often for no apparent reason or for one reason or another will act unexpectedly in the vicinity of the bus. They on occasion will run or dart along paths that cannot always be anticipated and which on occasion place the children in locations of material danger due to the configuration of school buses which often have a hood and fenders ahead of the windshield, 30 interfering wi~h the driver's view of areas in the vicinity of the bus. Mirrors have 2 ~
been variously located on buses to afford the driver a view of the area in front o~
the bus and also areas laterally of the bus. One such type of mirror is a spherical mirror mounted on a tripod type support and located at the respective front corners of the bus which affords the driver a view of the area ahead of the bus which is obscured from the driver's direct view by intervening portions of the bus, such as the hood and fenders. However, such mirrors do not afford a view of the area ahead of the whee~s o the bus and under the portion oE the bus projecting forwardly of those whee~s, an area into which small children can often venture in pursuit of a pet, a ball or other object upon which their attention is concentrated without regard to 10 the possible movement of the bus by the operator unaware of their presence in such location.
An object of this invention is to provide a mirror which may be mounted at the respective front corners of a bus so as to afford the driver, from his operating position, ~ view o~ the area extending outwardly from the sides o~ the bus, the llrca ahcad of the bu~ nnd the aren bencath the overhanglng ~ront portlon Oe the bus nllead of the front wheels ol~ thc bus.
Another object Oe thls invention i.q to provide such convex mirror which has an aspherical elliptic paraboloid form reflective surface.
Another object of this invention is to provide such a mirror which may 20 be fi~edly mounted in an appropriate positlon of ad;justment such that operation of the bus by drivers of differing heights within the normal range of driver heights will be afforded a substantially like view of the areas laterally and forwardly of the bus, and the area under the overhanging fore portion of the bus ahead of the front wheels of the bus, and thus r ender substantially unnecessary readjustment of the mirrors upon each change of driver.
A further object of this invention is to provide such a mirror having its maximum curvature at its center with curvature decreasing outwardly to its peripheral edge.
The present invention provides a first viewing mirror mounted adjacent 30 a first front corner of the bus and having a convex elliptic paraboloid shaped .~ .
reflective surface which affords the driver, erom his operating position, a view of the area extending outwardly from a respective side of the bus around the front corner of the bus and across an aFea in the front of the bus, and extendulg under the front of the bus ahead of the front wheels thereof, while a second viewing mirror similarly mounted adjacent the opposite front corner of the bus simultaneously affords the driver a view of the area extending outwardly from a respective second side of the bus around the front corner of the bus and across the area in front OI
the bus, and also the area beneath the fore part of the bus in front of the front wheels thereof.
Another object of this invention is to provide a mirror having an elliptic paraboloid reflective surface mounted in a suitable frame member which is in turn mounted by tripod or similar structure to the body of the bus in a way that it may be adjusted to provide the driver with an appropriate view of portions of the bus and areas adjacent while seated in the driver's seat, and having such coverage that such view is substantially provided to an occupant ot the driver's s~at so long as that occupant Is wlthln tho normal ~ize rangos oE drivers Oe the vehlcle.
Thc llbove an~l othcr obJects and ~entures of the Invcntlon wlll be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this inventlon pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings.
Brief Descripti3n of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a mirror embodying our invention;
FIG. 2 is a view of the mirror of FIG. 1 taken in the direction of the arrows 2-2 in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a view in cross section of the mirror of FIG. 1 taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. l;
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an elliptic paraboloid mirror surface in association with a set of Cartesion co-ordinate axes;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the front portion of a bus equipped with safety mirrors embodying the instant invention;
FIG. 6 is a front view in perspeetive of the bus of ~IG. 5;
, ~,.
2 ~
~ IG. 7 is a view in perspective of a mirror embodying the instant invention and illustrating the view of the bus reflected by said mirror for viewing by the operator of the bus in the driver's seat thereof; and FIG. 8 is a view of the bus reflected for viewing by the driver in a widely used convex spherical mirror of the prior art substituted for the mirror of FIG. 8.
33et~iled Descri~ption of the Pres~ntly Prefe~d Embodiment of the ~vention In the accompanying drawings and the specification, like reference 10 characters indicate like parts.
A mirror assembly 12 constructed in accordance with the instant invention and illustrating the presently preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings. The mirror assembly 12 gcneraLly consisti o~ a ~rame 29, a retainer 33 nnd a lons l4 ilavin~ an ext~rlor convex sureflce. 'rh~ l~ns l4, wlllal~ may be made Oe any sultflble transp~lrcnt mlltarlal ~llch ~s glas~, acryl~c resln or tho llk~, has an aspheric elliptic paraboloid shape body 23 and an inte~ral rim flange 26 projecting outwardly in a flat plane. The second (concave) surface 28 of the lens body 23 being provided with a reflective coating 15 of silver or the like. The reflective surface 16 has the shape of the second surface 28 of the lens body 23 and 20 is preferably of an aspheric eMiptic paraboloid shape. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the reflective surface 16 is symmetric about an axis Z perpendicular to the plane of the eclge 18 Oe the surface remote from the viewer as viewed in l?IG. 4. me edge 18 of the reflective surface 16 is an ellipse, lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the X-Y co~rdinate axes in FIG. 4. The intercept of the reflective surface in the X-Z plane is indicated by the parabolic line 35 extending through the points 21-20-22, a parabola symmetric about axis Z and tangent to the X-Y plane.
The reflective surface 16 intercepts the Y-Z plane along the line 37 extending through the points 24-20-25. The reflective surface 16 by reason of its aspheric elNptic paraboloid form is one which has a surEace the curvature of whicn 30 continuously changes from point to poin~ on that surface with the sharpest curvature 2 ~
at 20 and decreasing curvature from 2n to edge 18. The reflective surface will have a respective parabolic intercept with any plane intersecting the suriace ln and including axis ~.
The intercepts of an aspheric elliptic paraboloid mirror surfaee with the X-Z, Y-Z;, and X-Y planes of a co~rdinate system as in FIG. 4, may be expressed as follows:
the intercept in the X-Z plane: z=cxd [wherein c and d are constants or a respective parabolic intercept, but may vary from intercept to inter-cept];
the intercept in the Y-Z plane: z=ayb [wherein a and b are constants for a respective parabolic intercept, but may vary from intercept to inter-cept]; and the intercept in the X-Y plane: x2/e2 ~ y2/f2 ~ 1 ~wherein e and ~ are re~pective r~dli of the olllptic p~rlmeter Oe the mirror sur~ace nnd may vflry Erom Interccpt to Int(3rccptl.
In applicants' presently pre~erred embodiment o~ their inventlon the reflective surface has an elliptic perimeter with a major axis (24-~9-25 in FIG. 4) of 13.75 inches and a minor axis (21-19-22 in FIG. 4) o~ 9.75 inches and a depth ~19-20 in FIG. 4) of approximately 3 inches, and may be described, by way of non-limiting example, as follows:
the intercept in the x-æ plane: z=0.083x2 05 the intercept In the Y-Z plane: z=0 037y2 13; and the intercept in ~he x-y plane 2~2/(4.875)2 ~ y2/~6~875)2 = :l Other appropriate values may be substituted in the description Oe the aspheric elliptic paraboloid mirror surface by intercepts.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, lens 14 has a radial ilange 26 adapted to cooperate with franne 29. Frame 29 may be formed of sheet metal or other suitable material as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Frame 29 may have an outwardly convex central portion 36. A mounting stud 38 extends outwardly through a central aperture 40 in central portion 36 of frame 29. An inwardly fa~ing concave seat 42 is provided ,.
2 ~
annularly Oe the aperture 40 to cooperate with hemispher;c grommet 44. A stud retaining V-washer 45 engages the exterior of the central portion 36 oE the frame annularly o~ aperture 40 and the threaded stud 38 to secure the stud 38, hemispheric grrommet 44 and seat 42, in assembled relation. An integ~al planar lens seat 46 is provided at the periphery of the central portion 36 of the frame. A cylindrical integral flange 31 extends perpendicularly îrom the peripheral edge of seat 46, the planar surface upon which the lens rim flange 26 seats flatwise on the frame, and inboard OI flange 31.
A mounting flnd sealing gasket ring 33 has an L-shaped channel 3~1 which receives cylindrlcal ~lange 31 and an adjacent part of seat 48 of frame 29 together with lens flange 26, securing the lens and frame in assembled relation as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and substantially sealing the lens and frame assembly.
The mirror assernbly t2 may he molmted on n sultable braclcet suoh fl9 n tripocl fendcr bracket !i5 or S(~ o~ other npproprlate hracket by engn~lng th~ stud 38 in cooperating relation to thq hraclcet and sccl~ring lt by apploprlate mlt or oth~r fastener (not shown~, to support the mirror in Iixed relation to the bus S0 or other vehicle substantially at a corner thereof. The mirror 12L mounted on the left front of the vehicle affords the driver a view along and outwardly from the left hand side of the bus, crosswise of the front of the bus from the bus forwardly and also of an 20 area beneath the front portion of the bus Iorward of the front wheels of the bus.
A plurality o~ traf~ic cones 4~, 48 and 49 may be placed-under the Iore part o~ the bus 50 and ahead of its front wheels 51, 52, and, a cone 53 ~shown in FIG. 6) and another cone 54 shown in the mirror image in FIa. 7, may be placed adjacent the respective sides of the bus rearward of its back wheels as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. When the bus is equipped with spherieal mirrors 30 of the prior art shown in FIG. 5, images OI the cones 47, 48, 49 and 54 are not rei leeted in mirror 30L as shown in FIG. 8 and are therefore not visible to the driver. Similarly images of cones 49, 48, 47 and 53 are not re~lected in mirror 30R and are therefore not visible to the driver~ However, when mirrors 12L and 12R embodying the instant invention are substituted for mirrors 30L and 30R as shown in FIG. 6, images of 2 ~
cones 48, 49 and 54 are reflected in mirror 12L and thus visible to the driver as shown in FIG. 7, and images of cones 48, 47 and 53 are similarly reflected in mirror 12R where ~hey are visible to the driver as well.
The invention has been described above in connection with a presently preferred embodiment for purposes of illustration and not for purposes of limitation of the invention. The invention covers alternatives, modifications and equivalents within the spirit and scope of the invention hereof.
The safety mirror construction illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the 10 appended claims.
. , ::
ASPlIl~lRIC l~LLIYIICAL PAI~ABOLOID SA~l~TY MIRROR
The present invention relates to rnirrors, and in particular to safety mirrors for use on vehicles such as school buses or the like, each providing the driver of the vehicle with a view along a respective side and across the front of the vehicle including the area under the vehicle and ahead of the front wheels thereof.
Background of the lhvelltisn Various mirrors have been proposed and used in connection with vehicles to afford the operator thereof with a view of objects, either animate or inanimate, moving or stationary, in the vicinity of the sides and in front OI the vehicle, and lû also to the rear of the vehicle to permit the operator to have surveillance of those areas so as to see not only stationary objects, but also moving objects such as other vehicles, pedestrians, animals or the like traveling courses which could lead to colllslon with thc vehicle If not avoided. Such mlrror~ have been Oe the flat sur~nce mirror, cyllndricQI sur~c~ ~irror alld qphorlcal sureace mlrror type~. The mo~t common flat sureace mirrors ~or vehicles are the rear vlew mlrrors usually Inolmted near the top center of the windshield, also outboard of the side windows near the front of the vehicle and in the case of school buses also mounted on the front fenders thereof. At times such conventional flat mirrors are replaced by convex cylindrical or spherical mirrors to provide a wider angle of view. Also, at times 20 plural mirror assemblies o~ flat and convex mirrors are used, usually as outside mirrors to provide the undistorted flat mirror view along with the wider angle of view o~ the convex mirror.
One area where mirrors h~ve been relied upon for safety purposes is in conjunction with school buses where safety problems are accentuated by the fact that the passengers for the most part are children, who often for no apparent reason or for one reason or another will act unexpectedly in the vicinity of the bus. They on occasion will run or dart along paths that cannot always be anticipated and which on occasion place the children in locations of material danger due to the configuration of school buses which often have a hood and fenders ahead of the windshield, 30 interfering wi~h the driver's view of areas in the vicinity of the bus. Mirrors have 2 ~
been variously located on buses to afford the driver a view of the area in front o~
the bus and also areas laterally of the bus. One such type of mirror is a spherical mirror mounted on a tripod type support and located at the respective front corners of the bus which affords the driver a view of the area ahead of the bus which is obscured from the driver's direct view by intervening portions of the bus, such as the hood and fenders. However, such mirrors do not afford a view of the area ahead of the whee~s o the bus and under the portion oE the bus projecting forwardly of those whee~s, an area into which small children can often venture in pursuit of a pet, a ball or other object upon which their attention is concentrated without regard to 10 the possible movement of the bus by the operator unaware of their presence in such location.
An object of this invention is to provide a mirror which may be mounted at the respective front corners of a bus so as to afford the driver, from his operating position, ~ view o~ the area extending outwardly from the sides o~ the bus, the llrca ahcad of the bu~ nnd the aren bencath the overhanglng ~ront portlon Oe the bus nllead of the front wheels ol~ thc bus.
Another object Oe thls invention i.q to provide such convex mirror which has an aspherical elliptic paraboloid form reflective surface.
Another object of this invention is to provide such a mirror which may 20 be fi~edly mounted in an appropriate positlon of ad;justment such that operation of the bus by drivers of differing heights within the normal range of driver heights will be afforded a substantially like view of the areas laterally and forwardly of the bus, and the area under the overhanging fore portion of the bus ahead of the front wheels of the bus, and thus r ender substantially unnecessary readjustment of the mirrors upon each change of driver.
A further object of this invention is to provide such a mirror having its maximum curvature at its center with curvature decreasing outwardly to its peripheral edge.
The present invention provides a first viewing mirror mounted adjacent 30 a first front corner of the bus and having a convex elliptic paraboloid shaped .~ .
reflective surface which affords the driver, erom his operating position, a view of the area extending outwardly from a respective side of the bus around the front corner of the bus and across an aFea in the front of the bus, and extendulg under the front of the bus ahead of the front wheels thereof, while a second viewing mirror similarly mounted adjacent the opposite front corner of the bus simultaneously affords the driver a view of the area extending outwardly from a respective second side of the bus around the front corner of the bus and across the area in front OI
the bus, and also the area beneath the fore part of the bus in front of the front wheels thereof.
Another object of this invention is to provide a mirror having an elliptic paraboloid reflective surface mounted in a suitable frame member which is in turn mounted by tripod or similar structure to the body of the bus in a way that it may be adjusted to provide the driver with an appropriate view of portions of the bus and areas adjacent while seated in the driver's seat, and having such coverage that such view is substantially provided to an occupant ot the driver's s~at so long as that occupant Is wlthln tho normal ~ize rangos oE drivers Oe the vehlcle.
Thc llbove an~l othcr obJects and ~entures of the Invcntlon wlll be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this inventlon pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings.
Brief Descripti3n of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a mirror embodying our invention;
FIG. 2 is a view of the mirror of FIG. 1 taken in the direction of the arrows 2-2 in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a view in cross section of the mirror of FIG. 1 taken on the line 3-3 in FIG. l;
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an elliptic paraboloid mirror surface in association with a set of Cartesion co-ordinate axes;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the front portion of a bus equipped with safety mirrors embodying the instant invention;
FIG. 6 is a front view in perspeetive of the bus of ~IG. 5;
, ~,.
2 ~
~ IG. 7 is a view in perspective of a mirror embodying the instant invention and illustrating the view of the bus reflected by said mirror for viewing by the operator of the bus in the driver's seat thereof; and FIG. 8 is a view of the bus reflected for viewing by the driver in a widely used convex spherical mirror of the prior art substituted for the mirror of FIG. 8.
33et~iled Descri~ption of the Pres~ntly Prefe~d Embodiment of the ~vention In the accompanying drawings and the specification, like reference 10 characters indicate like parts.
A mirror assembly 12 constructed in accordance with the instant invention and illustrating the presently preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings. The mirror assembly 12 gcneraLly consisti o~ a ~rame 29, a retainer 33 nnd a lons l4 ilavin~ an ext~rlor convex sureflce. 'rh~ l~ns l4, wlllal~ may be made Oe any sultflble transp~lrcnt mlltarlal ~llch ~s glas~, acryl~c resln or tho llk~, has an aspheric elliptic paraboloid shape body 23 and an inte~ral rim flange 26 projecting outwardly in a flat plane. The second (concave) surface 28 of the lens body 23 being provided with a reflective coating 15 of silver or the like. The reflective surface 16 has the shape of the second surface 28 of the lens body 23 and 20 is preferably of an aspheric eMiptic paraboloid shape. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the reflective surface 16 is symmetric about an axis Z perpendicular to the plane of the eclge 18 Oe the surface remote from the viewer as viewed in l?IG. 4. me edge 18 of the reflective surface 16 is an ellipse, lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the X-Y co~rdinate axes in FIG. 4. The intercept of the reflective surface in the X-Z plane is indicated by the parabolic line 35 extending through the points 21-20-22, a parabola symmetric about axis Z and tangent to the X-Y plane.
The reflective surface 16 intercepts the Y-Z plane along the line 37 extending through the points 24-20-25. The reflective surface 16 by reason of its aspheric elNptic paraboloid form is one which has a surEace the curvature of whicn 30 continuously changes from point to poin~ on that surface with the sharpest curvature 2 ~
at 20 and decreasing curvature from 2n to edge 18. The reflective surface will have a respective parabolic intercept with any plane intersecting the suriace ln and including axis ~.
The intercepts of an aspheric elliptic paraboloid mirror surfaee with the X-Z, Y-Z;, and X-Y planes of a co~rdinate system as in FIG. 4, may be expressed as follows:
the intercept in the X-Z plane: z=cxd [wherein c and d are constants or a respective parabolic intercept, but may vary from intercept to inter-cept];
the intercept in the Y-Z plane: z=ayb [wherein a and b are constants for a respective parabolic intercept, but may vary from intercept to inter-cept]; and the intercept in the X-Y plane: x2/e2 ~ y2/f2 ~ 1 ~wherein e and ~ are re~pective r~dli of the olllptic p~rlmeter Oe the mirror sur~ace nnd may vflry Erom Interccpt to Int(3rccptl.
In applicants' presently pre~erred embodiment o~ their inventlon the reflective surface has an elliptic perimeter with a major axis (24-~9-25 in FIG. 4) of 13.75 inches and a minor axis (21-19-22 in FIG. 4) o~ 9.75 inches and a depth ~19-20 in FIG. 4) of approximately 3 inches, and may be described, by way of non-limiting example, as follows:
the intercept in the x-æ plane: z=0.083x2 05 the intercept In the Y-Z plane: z=0 037y2 13; and the intercept in ~he x-y plane 2~2/(4.875)2 ~ y2/~6~875)2 = :l Other appropriate values may be substituted in the description Oe the aspheric elliptic paraboloid mirror surface by intercepts.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, lens 14 has a radial ilange 26 adapted to cooperate with franne 29. Frame 29 may be formed of sheet metal or other suitable material as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Frame 29 may have an outwardly convex central portion 36. A mounting stud 38 extends outwardly through a central aperture 40 in central portion 36 of frame 29. An inwardly fa~ing concave seat 42 is provided ,.
2 ~
annularly Oe the aperture 40 to cooperate with hemispher;c grommet 44. A stud retaining V-washer 45 engages the exterior of the central portion 36 oE the frame annularly o~ aperture 40 and the threaded stud 38 to secure the stud 38, hemispheric grrommet 44 and seat 42, in assembled relation. An integ~al planar lens seat 46 is provided at the periphery of the central portion 36 of the frame. A cylindrical integral flange 31 extends perpendicularly îrom the peripheral edge of seat 46, the planar surface upon which the lens rim flange 26 seats flatwise on the frame, and inboard OI flange 31.
A mounting flnd sealing gasket ring 33 has an L-shaped channel 3~1 which receives cylindrlcal ~lange 31 and an adjacent part of seat 48 of frame 29 together with lens flange 26, securing the lens and frame in assembled relation as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and substantially sealing the lens and frame assembly.
The mirror assernbly t2 may he molmted on n sultable braclcet suoh fl9 n tripocl fendcr bracket !i5 or S(~ o~ other npproprlate hracket by engn~lng th~ stud 38 in cooperating relation to thq hraclcet and sccl~ring lt by apploprlate mlt or oth~r fastener (not shown~, to support the mirror in Iixed relation to the bus S0 or other vehicle substantially at a corner thereof. The mirror 12L mounted on the left front of the vehicle affords the driver a view along and outwardly from the left hand side of the bus, crosswise of the front of the bus from the bus forwardly and also of an 20 area beneath the front portion of the bus Iorward of the front wheels of the bus.
A plurality o~ traf~ic cones 4~, 48 and 49 may be placed-under the Iore part o~ the bus 50 and ahead of its front wheels 51, 52, and, a cone 53 ~shown in FIG. 6) and another cone 54 shown in the mirror image in FIa. 7, may be placed adjacent the respective sides of the bus rearward of its back wheels as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. When the bus is equipped with spherieal mirrors 30 of the prior art shown in FIG. 5, images OI the cones 47, 48, 49 and 54 are not rei leeted in mirror 30L as shown in FIG. 8 and are therefore not visible to the driver. Similarly images of cones 49, 48, 47 and 53 are not re~lected in mirror 30R and are therefore not visible to the driver~ However, when mirrors 12L and 12R embodying the instant invention are substituted for mirrors 30L and 30R as shown in FIG. 6, images of 2 ~
cones 48, 49 and 54 are reflected in mirror 12L and thus visible to the driver as shown in FIG. 7, and images of cones 48, 47 and 53 are similarly reflected in mirror 12R where ~hey are visible to the driver as well.
The invention has been described above in connection with a presently preferred embodiment for purposes of illustration and not for purposes of limitation of the invention. The invention covers alternatives, modifications and equivalents within the spirit and scope of the invention hereof.
The safety mirror construction illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the 10 appended claims.
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Claims (6)
1. A safety mirror comprising a convex aspheric elliptic paraboloid image reflecting mirror surface, said convex mirror surface having an axis of symmetry intersecting its point of maximum curvature, said reflecting mirror surface having a continuous peripheral edge spaced from said axis, the curvature of said mirror surface decreasing from the said axis to said peripheral edge.
2. A safety mirror as in claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge lies in a flat plane.
3. A safety mirror as in claim 1 wherein the peripheral edge is elliptic and lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the mirror surface.
4. A safety mirror as in claim 1 wherein a planar radial flange extends outwardly from the edge in the flat plane.
5. A safety mirror as in claim 1 further comprising a lens supporting the reflecting mirror surface and having an annular rim flange, a frame having an annular rim seat, the rim flange seated on said rim seat and a retainer receiving said frame rim seat and said lens rim flange and securing same in abutting relation.
6. A safety mirror comprising a portion of a convex aspheric elliptic paraboloid image reflecting mirror surface having a continuous peripheral edge, said convex mirror surface having maximum curvature at one point and the curvature of said mirror surface decreasing as distance increases from said one point toward said peripheral edge.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US07/522,673 US5084785A (en) | 1990-05-11 | 1990-05-11 | Aspheric elliptical paraboloid safety mirror |
| US522,673 | 1990-05-11 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2019968A1 true CA2019968A1 (en) | 1991-11-11 |
Family
ID=24081847
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002019968A Abandoned CA2019968A1 (en) | 1990-05-11 | 1990-06-26 | Aspheric elliptical paraboloid safety mirror |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US5084785A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2019968A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (34)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA2105634C (en) * | 1992-09-09 | 2005-02-08 | William P. Schmidt | Oval elliptical mirror |
| US6293679B1 (en) * | 1992-09-09 | 2001-09-25 | William P. Schmidt | Extended field of view mirror |
| CN2188511Y (en) * | 1994-03-21 | 1995-02-01 | 李世卿 | Outer rear-view mirror for vehicle |
| GB9605362D0 (en) * | 1996-03-14 | 1996-05-15 | Camcane Ltd | Monitor |
| GB2348562B (en) | 1996-03-14 | 2000-11-15 | Designaware Trading Ltd | Monitor and viewing device |
| IES81066B2 (en) * | 1998-04-03 | 2000-01-12 | John Mcandrew | Mirror for a commercial vehicle |
| US6485156B1 (en) | 2000-06-14 | 2002-11-26 | Alice Marshall | Trunk mounted mirror |
| JP2004341048A (en) * | 2003-05-13 | 2004-12-02 | Fuji Photo Optical Co Ltd | Optical reflection mirror |
| US7134759B2 (en) * | 2004-02-10 | 2006-11-14 | Mirror Lite | Ellipsoid vehicular mirror |
| US7241020B2 (en) * | 2003-11-20 | 2007-07-10 | Mirror Lite | High definition vehicular mirror |
| US7918569B2 (en) * | 2004-02-10 | 2011-04-05 | Mirror Lite | High definition vehicular mirror |
| US20050286148A1 (en) * | 2004-06-25 | 2005-12-29 | Lee Yun J | Flexible mirror device for a vehicle |
| US7080911B2 (en) * | 2004-07-21 | 2006-07-25 | Ideal Molded Lite Components, Inc. | Combination mirror mount and headlight visor for cross view or spot mirror |
| US8777428B2 (en) * | 2004-10-06 | 2014-07-15 | Rosco, Inc. | Teardrop shaped vehicular mirror |
| US7699479B2 (en) * | 2004-10-06 | 2010-04-20 | Mirror Lite | Teardrop shaped vehicular mirror |
| US7012761B1 (en) * | 2004-11-24 | 2006-03-14 | Mirror Lite | Teledaga mirror |
| US7401955B2 (en) * | 2005-02-22 | 2008-07-22 | Rosco Incorporated | Light shield for a vehicle mirror |
| US20070030582A1 (en) * | 2005-08-02 | 2007-02-08 | Schmidt William P | Oval elliptical mirror with orientation line |
| US7210804B2 (en) * | 2005-08-23 | 2007-05-01 | Yi-Cyuan Shih | Wide-angle mirror with press strips |
| US20090073590A1 (en) * | 2006-03-28 | 2009-03-19 | Benjamin Englander | Vehicle mirror with integrated lighting |
| US9022586B2 (en) | 2006-03-28 | 2015-05-05 | Rosco, Inc. | Vehicular mirror having a camera for enhanced vision |
| US7798659B2 (en) * | 2006-03-28 | 2010-09-21 | Rosco Inc. | Vehicle mirror having a light source |
| US8672494B2 (en) | 2006-11-01 | 2014-03-18 | Rosco Inc. | Asymmetric sectioned convex mirrors |
| US7517100B2 (en) * | 2006-11-01 | 2009-04-14 | Rosco Inc. | Asymmetric multiple constant RADII of curvature convex mirrors |
| US8182125B2 (en) * | 2006-11-07 | 2012-05-22 | Rosco Inc. | External safety illumination for a bus with light mounted to mirror arm |
| US9511714B2 (en) | 2006-12-29 | 2016-12-06 | Rosco, Inc. | Geometrically shaped ellipsoid vehicular mirror |
| CN201017053Y (en) * | 2007-03-14 | 2008-02-06 | 吴君中 | Multiple curved face high coverage rear-view mirror glasses lens |
| US8172411B2 (en) * | 2007-03-14 | 2012-05-08 | Junzhong Wu | Multi-curvature convex mirror having an enhanced field of vision |
| DE102007013028B4 (en) * | 2007-03-19 | 2009-04-09 | Mekra Lang Gmbh & Co. Kg | Exterior mirror assembly for motor vehicles |
| KR100867439B1 (en) * | 2007-11-07 | 2008-11-06 | 주식회사시리스케이 | Rear vision mirror for vehicle |
| US20100104391A1 (en) * | 2008-05-05 | 2010-04-29 | Standard Car Truck Company | Auto-rack railroad car vehicle positioning and damage prevention system |
| US20150008303A1 (en) * | 2013-02-21 | 2015-01-08 | Plx, Inc. | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
| US20150274077A1 (en) * | 2014-04-01 | 2015-10-01 | Caterpillar Global Mining Llc | Convex mirror for large vehicles |
| US9661942B2 (en) * | 2015-08-07 | 2017-05-30 | Se-Kure Controls, Inc. | Shopping cart checkout location with mirror to reflect image of cart contents |
Family Cites Families (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2077740A (en) * | 1934-03-30 | 1937-04-20 | Martha W Caughlan | Reflecting surface |
| US2771001A (en) * | 1952-09-29 | 1956-11-20 | Gretener Edgar | Optical illumination system with homogeneous distribution of light for projectors |
| CH526071A (en) * | 1968-08-21 | 1972-07-31 | Leon Perret Samuel | Radiation projection and reception reflector |
| US3901587A (en) * | 1974-10-07 | 1975-08-26 | Ernest Haile | Framing and mounting means for a rear vision mirror |
| FR2420452A1 (en) * | 1978-03-22 | 1979-10-19 | Varnier Jean | Exterior vehicle rear mirror - gives enlarged field of view due to convex asymmetric hyperbolic polished aluminium surface |
| US4436372A (en) * | 1981-02-05 | 1984-03-13 | Mirror Lite Company | Elliptical mirror for vehicular use |
| US4390253A (en) * | 1981-07-14 | 1983-06-28 | Redifon Simulation Limited | Pitch and roll motion optical system for wide angle display |
| US4730914A (en) * | 1986-12-22 | 1988-03-15 | Safety Cross Mirror Co., Inc. | Elongate, arcuate mirror with generally convex surface portions |
| US4822157A (en) * | 1987-09-30 | 1989-04-18 | Safety Cross Mirror Co., Inc. | Elongate, arcuate mirror with lightweight, aerodynamic back support |
| US4938578A (en) * | 1988-10-06 | 1990-07-03 | Mirror Lite Company | Truncated mirror surface |
-
1990
- 1990-05-11 US US07/522,673 patent/US5084785A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1990-06-26 CA CA002019968A patent/CA2019968A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| US5084785A (en) | 1992-01-28 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |